Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the
foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!...
Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was
no peace;
and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar:
(Ezekiel 13: 3, 10)

The first Reformation was about belief;
this one’s going to be about behavior.

Pastor Rick Warren, May 15, 2005

On May
15, 2005, Pentecost Sunday, the Latter
Rain apostles held a huge global prayer meeting. Believers filled stadiums all
over the world and prayed scripted prayers in unison while watching others do
the same via high tech satellite hook-ups.

A poster advertising the Global Day of Prayer (GDOP)
told us in advance what was supposed to happen: “On Sunday, May 15 The greatest
power known to man will be released.” If God’s people got together and prayed
with “one voice” in “one day” that God would “reveal His glory and
bless the nations of the earth.”

In the previous May/June 2005 issue of
Discernment Ministries newsletter we reported on the plans leading up to the
Global Day of Prayer. This report is a follow-up and an overview of the next
phase of activity. The reader should read
Part 1
prior to reading Part 2 for important background information. (The
Global Day of Prayer - Part 1)

To review, the GDOP was scheduled to happen in
three phases:

Phase I:
May 6-15 was ten days of organized prayer from the Day of Ascension through
Pentecost.

Phase II:
The actual Global Day of Prayer, a global prayer event scheduled on Pentecost
Sunday, May 15, 2005. The GDOP itself is scheduled to continue yearly to the
year 2010.

Phase III:
“90 days of Blessing” scheduled for the ninety days immediately following the
Global Day of Prayer.

What happened on the GDOP?

Rick Warren of Saddleback Church spoke to a
gathering of 12,000 people in Dallas, Texas at the Reunion Arena for a live
broadcast of the Global Day of Prayer event. He was joined on-stage by Rev. Jack
Graham, T.D. Jakes, and other evangelical luminaries.

It is reported that the GDOP commenced in New
Zealand, and that mass prayer meetings were held on each continent, and in each
time zone, until the sun set in the U.S. Event organizers were hoping for 200
million people worldwide to participate in the event. The exact attendance is
unknown. Some individual arena numbers have been issued in press accounts. In
the United States, by Tuesday, May 18th, it was reported that 182
communities from 38 states and 1 overseas location held the event. It is said
that 149 countries participated.

A Second Reformation

The Global Day of Prayer appears to be a chief
mechanism for launching a “Second Reformation” in Christianity. The GDOP
provides a convenient vehicle to transition the church from the old order to a
new global order. Rick Warren is quoted as saying at the Global Day of Prayer
event, “The first Reformation was about belief; this one’s going
to be about behavior.” (www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=8280)
[emphasis added] An official press release
from Saddleback Church states that if “Christians mobilize to confront the five
‘global giants’ of spiritual emptiness, egocentric leadership, poverty, disease,
and lack of education, it could spark a second Reformation.”

Believers during the First Reformation were
persecuted and martyred for holding biblical beliefs such as sola scriptura,
the priesthood of all believers and justification by faith. These core doctrines
can be found in the great writings of godly Christian men the past 500 years –
men such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, Matthew Henry, John Wesley, Charles
Spurgeon, and many others.

Latter Rain leadership has been openly
promulgating the necessity for a Second Reformation for well over a decade now.
It is sometimes referred to as the New Apostolic Reformation. C. Peter Wagner,
Luis Bush, Ralph Neighbour, Ralph Winter, Bill Beckham, Mike Bickle, Lyle
Schaller, Todd Bentley, Jim Goll, et al, have all written and spoken
about a new reformation. The Latter Rain’s Second Reformation is characterized
by a reversal of tenets of the First Reformation. It teaches that revelation can
supercede the Word of God, that believers must come under apostolic leadership,
and that works are necessary for the Kingdom.

Latter Rain is importing into the Church a phase
of transition which includes new core doctrines for the Second Reformation. Many
of these doctrines turn the Church back towards Catholicism and early heresies.
Other “emerging” doctrines infuse pure New Age esotericism. The chart on page 6
will illustrate this transition.

Take note: there is a particular formula that is
being widely utilized to bring about this doctrinal transition to a Second
Reformation:

1.DECONSTRUCTION
of the old “wineskin.” The believer is persuaded that the old doctrine or
practice is defective, ineffective, inadequate, or incomplete. Believers are
taught that the old understanding is counter-productive to building the Kingdom
of God on earth. Denominations and
disunity are bad, stifling, and obsolete. This is sometimes referred to as the
old wineskin.

2.RECONSTRUCTION
(also called “restoration”) of a new “wineskin.” The believer is presented with
a new method, a superior understanding, a more complete revelation, or new
tools. Believers are told there are unprecedented challenges facing the church
in this era and we must face these “giants” by living out our faith in a new
manner. This new way is often misrepresented as the “old” way of the “apostolic”
age. Key scriptures, especially from the book of Acts or the Old Testament, are
imbued with novel interpretations to justify the new theologies.

Rick Warren has stated that the “second
reformation needs to change our behavior, not our beliefs” (Ministry Toolbox
#200). However, the Second Reformation is about both beliefs and
behaviors. Rick Warren explained this transition process.

Around the world, churches are in need of
transition. The 21st century is presenting church leaders with
new challenges and new opportunities. It appears that God is doing something
fresh and new in his church. Church leaders are evaluating the need for change
in their own congregations. Many are frustrated by the lack of growth. Others
simply want to get in on what God is doing. The central question is this: How
can we lead the transition from the church we are to the church we want
to be? (Ministry Toolbox Issue #205) [emphasis added]

A key doctrine of the Second Reformation is
dominionism. Believers are told that Jesus must return TO the church before he
returns FOR the church. And to make this happen, they must fulfill a
“Kingdom Mandate” to “advance” (in the military sense of the word) a visible
Kingdom of God on earth. This is
also referred to as the Great Commission “mandate.” These doctrines were
explained in greater detail in Part 1 of this report.

The Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan

Phase III of the Global Day of Prayer is
variously called “90 days of community transformation,” “90 days of Blessing,”
“90 Days of PEACE,” and “90 days of good works.” The Internet links to Phase III
of the Global Day of Prayer take one directly to Rick Warren’s P.E.A.C.E. Plan.

But what are these “90 days” all about? What are
they supposed to accomplish? In fact, why piggy-back them onto the GDOP event
itself?

In researching Phase III of the GDOP, one can
quickly reach the cynical conclusion that the whole event was a huge publicity
stunt to launch the next phase of Rick Warren’s agenda – the Global P.E.A.C.E.
Plan. Sincere prayer warriors around the world were interceding with the
scripted, dominionist prayers of the GDOP:

§“Let Your Kingdom be established in
every nation of this world so that governments will rule with righteousness and
justice,”

§“Give us wisdom and insight in every
sphere of life,”

§“May Your blessing bring transformation
amidst every people on earth,” and

§“Empower the Church to be
transformed…”

Meanwhile leaders were busy
putting flesh on these prayers with a brazen agenda to literally transform the
Earth.

The use of the term “sphere” in the second prayer
listed above is precise and intentional. “Sphere” is a term that was first
utilized by the Coalition on Revival (COR) in the 1980s to describe seventeen
“spheres” of life and ministry. These “spheres” were to be infiltrated and taken
over as part of a dominionist political and spiritual Kingdom mandate. The
spheres of ministry include law, government, economics, business, education,
media, health care, church, family and others. The term “sphere” is sometimes
referred to as “domain” or “gate” by Latter Rain leaders.

COR has been described as a “melting pot for
Charismatic Dominionists and Reconstructionists” by Al Dager in his book
Vengeance Is Ours: The Church In Dominion.2
These eclectic dominionists believe that the ends justify the means, and they
will form alliances with anybody or anything that appears to be working towards
the “Kingdom” on earth. As a result, key doctrines of the First Reformation
become further eroded and even abandoned.

Rick Warren referenced several “spheres” (termed
“pieces”) on June 11, 2003, when he delivered a speech to the Washington D.C.
Hope Tour. In this speech he presented the vision for his P.E.A.C.E. plan.

So, at Saddleback, we are going
to try a little experiment…. So we’re going to try out ONE approach to dealing
with the AIDS crisis, and once we figure out what works, we’ll create a template
that can be used by thousands of other purpose-driven churches…. Our objective
is the global glory of God. As I’ve thought about this, it seems obvious that we
all have different roles to play. There is an educational piece. There is a
media piece. There is a government piece. There is a community development
piece. There is a relief piece. My question has been, “What is the local
church’s role? What is our responsibility?”

The dominionists teach that restoration occurs as
believers serve as stewards of this world, taking back what belongs to God.
Believers are to bring the Kingdom of heaven to earth and enforce the dominion
and authority of heaven upon everything evil. The spheres are a way to channel
this mandate.

“Whatever It Takes”

Rick Warren has stated, “It’s time for the church
to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer.” (http://www.pastors.com/article.asp?ArtID=8310)
This new emphasis on “good works” does not appear to be encumbered by Christian
ethics, normal restraint, or traditional doctrines. At a recent Purpose-Driven
conference Warren stated, “The P.E.A.C.E. plan will be a ‘revolution’ for global
Christianity,” and “I’m looking at a stadium full of people who are telling God
they will do whatever it takes to establish God’s Kingdom ‘on earth as it
is in heaven.’” (http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID-20603)
[emphasis added] Notice the phrase
“whatever it takes” and the word “revolution.” This type of aggressive Latter
Rain “transformation” terminology is increasingly showing up in mainstream
evangelicalism.

For example, a prayer organization in Orlando,
Florida, headed by Vonette Bright of Campus Crusade, stated in its “Guidelines
for Transformational Prayer, “As a city we are beginning the process of
whatever it takes to see our city transformed. We are doing it
intentionally. The city must seek God….

These are prayers that look for
God Himself to come and transform the entire city… to redirect the city to the
God given purposes for that specific community….

Every city/nation has been
called by God for a specific role to play towards the fulfillment of His Son’s
prayer, “Give me the nations for my inheritance.” So each city must
arrive at its Godgiven purpose, timing and strength to contribute
to the overall purpose of God for the nation. (Acts 17:26-28) Nations are called
to seekGod and find Him (as a nation) and His purposes
for them.” [emphasis in original]

Even the Southern Baptists now teach it. “The
greatest hindrance to the gospel is the unwillingness of Christians to make a
‘whatever it takes’ commitment to the one who commanded them to make disciples
of all the nations,” said Southern Baptist International Mission Board President
Jerry Rankin at a church in Plano, Texas in 2003.

In Part 1 of this report we mentioned that
partnering with business was an essential feature of the GDOP and we listed some
key leaders and their websites. Many of these organizations are also linked with
Africa. In analyzing the preliminary data from Phase III of the GDOP, it is
apparent that business leaders will step up to the plate and take center stage
in advancing the “Kingdom of God” on earth.

C. Peter Wagner, who is credited with concocting
much of the transitional doctrine for the New Apostolic Reformation (Second
Reformation) announced last year that there is a new type of apostle. He calls
this entity a “workplace apostle” and he was forced to dramatically alter
ecclesiology (the definition of what constitutes a “church”) in order to justify
these new apostles. Workplace apostles will have authority over the “spheres” –
religion, family, education, government, media, arts, and business. Wagner
stated, “We need to be fully aware of the two strategic gates for the advance of
the kingdom of God that will be opened through
the ministry of apostles in the workplace.” Gate number one, he says, is “social
transformation.” Gate number two is the “transference of wealth.” (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/arise.html)

“The official rollout of P.E.A.C.E. will focus on
the small country of Rwanda in eastern Africa,” according to
a report on Saddleback’s 25th anniversary celebration (http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews.asp?ID=20603)
Rick Warren has been involved in the transformation of Africa for a number of years. In 2003 he formed a
partnership with Turn the Tide, an organization established by Bruce Wilkinson.
Wilkinson’s recent book The Dream Giver talks about the “Giants” that
need to be overcome.3
These two men intend to overcome the “Giants” in Africa with the help of John
Maxwell, George Otis, Graham Power (credited with originating the GDOP idea),
Alistair Petrie, Ed Silvoso, and many other Latter Rain leaders and organizations.

When Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of
Rwanda, spoke at Saddleback
Church on April 17, 2005, he spoke of a new partnership between the church, his
government and business. “Rwanda is interested in forging business relationships
with people in this country, and we will be more than happy to tell you about
the investment opportunities that are available,” he said. (http://www.gov.rw/government/president/speeches/2005/17_04_05_saddleback.htm)

Bruce Wilkinson is connected with an organization
called Bridges International Development (BID) out of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
This organization seeks to build “an infrastructure for sustainable development”
in Africa that “includes utilizing government, NGOs [non-governmental
organizations, ed.] and business.” BID’s “spheres” include: “Orphans, Relief &
Aid, Women, Agriculture, Health Care, Environment/Energy, Economic Growth,
Transportation, Communication Information Technology, Good
Governance/Accountability and Education.” BID is seeking
corporate partners to invest in Africa for the purpose of “community
transformation” by creating Community Empowerment Centers fitting USAID
criteria. (http://www.bridgesid.org)
In other words, they are bringing in corporate business interests alongside the
Gospel. How one can perform this activity without compromising the integrity of
the Gospel is not addressed. In fact, most workplace ministries insist that they
have only the finest of intentions. Scriptures that come to mind include: I
Thess. 2:4-5; Titus 1:10-11; and Rom. 16:17-18.

Another organization working in Africa is called
equip. Their first venture to South Africa took place in April 2003.

A South African team has pioneered the “host
country” elements of equip. We will partner in other countries in the
future. Our goal for each venture is to mobilize 10 consultants from a sending
country and 10 from a host country to work together to re-purpose 10
corporations in 10 days. Together we experience The power of 10. Our goal is
that all spheres of societies will be transformed, starting with business, so
that the Kingdom of God is extended to God’s glory.

This organization unabashedly talks about
“kingdom building business exploits,” “using business as a platform for
expanding the kingdom of God in the future,” and becoming
a “Kingdom Capitalist.” equip uses a model with specific “outcomes”
including “new definitions of success,” “funds flowing,” “society-changing
initiatives,” transforming “10 spheres of society,” and a “kingdom worldview.”

The larger context is being part of God’s big plan
to have people from every “tongue, tribe and nation” worship him. Our starting
point is business, and we will selectively springboard from this into other
domains where our teams have gravitas and a calling. This goes beyond
“conversions” and “seeing people saved.” (http://www.repurposing.biz)

The International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC)
is “releasing business people into the walk of God’s Kingdom.” ICCC is
mobilizing and networking “Kingdom entrepreneurs, executives, and government
leaders into the purposeful, strategic, global Kingdom initiatives underway in
our day.” Their vision “calls for a world-wide network of committed
businesspeople in contact with each other, exchanging ideas, products and
services.” (http://www.iccc.net)

Bill Gates of Microsoft has “contributed 4.1
billion dollars to programmes tackling HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other
diseases over the past five years.” Over the next five years the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $28 million to this cause.

Gates said governments needed
to stimulate private pharmaceutical companies to invest in research on diseases
that affect the world’s poor by providing funding to ensure developing nations
were able to buy the resulting drugs. (http://www.timesofoman.com/newsdetails.asp?newsid=15419)

Perhaps C. Peter Wagner will soon call Bill Gates
a “philanthropic apostle.” Indeed, it once seemed curious that the Gates
Foundation once employed Christian Right activist Ralph Reed, but possibly he
was an outreach into evangelical partnerships in Africa. Gates has been
criticized for narrowly targeting with his funds only those activities that
would benefit pharmaceutical companies. It is apparent that there are economic
trade-offs for Gates, as the pharmaceutical industry is a major purchaser of
computer technology. Africa is also a wide open market for computers.

When Rick Warren’s small group mission trips go
to Rwanda to combat AIDS, they will find International Planned Parenthood
already involved in some of the same “spheres” of concern. Planned Parenthood is
“partnering” with other entities to gather data, develop a strategic plan,
change public opinion about sexuality, and improve service. (http://ippfnet.ippf.org/pub/IPPF_Regions/IPPF_CountryProfile.asp?ISOCode=RW)
The world’s biggest abortion provider was
founded by Margaret Sanger, who held extremely racist views. There is every
reason to be distrustful of this group.

Rwanda is also currently the target of a massive
national grassroots assessment process known as the Participatory Poverty
Assessment. “International and particularly local NGOs, trade unions, the
private sector and church based organizations will all be key in reviewing the
data collected by the PPA and other survey data.” Surveys, data, assessment,
focus group results, and status reports will be fed into a data analysis process
so that support strategies can be developed, forecasting can be performed,
linkages created, stakeholders enlisted and solutions proposed. (http://www.minecofin.gov.rw/poverty_reduction/)
One could wonder whether Bill Gates’
Microsoft computers will be providing the storage capacity for this massive
data collection.

It is entirely conceivable that Saddleback
mission trips to Rwanda will be a joint cooperative effort between government,
corporate (business), private and religious interests to transform the country.
Rather than spreading the Gospel, American volunteers may be assisting in the
conducting of surveys, meeting with governmental officials, and databanking the
results. One short term mission entity is developing standards for comprehensive
debriefing, on-field re-entry preparation, and post-field follow-up and
evaluation to identify unresolved issues. It is conceivable that some
missionaries, with a great deal of zeal to spread the Gospel, may need
comprehensive deprogramming to grapple with the resulting cognitive dissonance.
They may have just been sent on a mission trip that had nothing to do with the
Word of God and everything to do with being political/corporate emissaries.
(http://www.stmstandards.org/standards-7.php)

The ONE Campaign

On June 3, 2005, Rick Warren wrote:

Dear co-worker in Christ,

I have a simple request – but it could determine
whether millions live or die.

You’ve probably read in the papers about “The ONE
Campaign: To Make Poverty History” that’s been endorsed by a wide coalition of
folks from all across the faith and political spectrum….

This summer, at the G8 conference, our nation has
a historic opportunity to lead the world by showing a visible and significant
commitment to the fight against global poverty, hunger, and disease. In early
July, President Bush will gather together with leaders from the world’s eight
wealthiest nations in Edinburgh, Scotland, to discuss
these very issues – especially in Africa….

What can we do? For the past two years, I’ve had
4,500 of our Saddleback members quietly testing a prototype of our global
P.E.A.C.E. Plan in 47 countries. It is a strategy for small groups in churches
to show compassion. Once we have the template perfected, we’ll share it with
every church that’s interested….

…Join me and other evangelical leaders in an open
letter to President Bush….

All I need you to do is e-mail me back at
rick@peace.gs giving your name and
title and I’ll add your name to the list. Also you can visit
www.one.orgfor more information

The ONE Campaign is “a new effort by Americans to
rally Americans ONE by ONE to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme
poverty… through a diverse coalition of faith-based and anti-poverty
organizers….” David Brooks of the New York Times, in a recent editorial
(May 26, 2005), called this organization a “nexus of a vast alliance between
socially conservative evangelicals and socially liberal N.G.O.’s.” ONE’s goal is
one percent of the U.S. budget and raising other funds internationally.

Bono, of the rock group U2, has taken center
stage in promoting ONE, halting a concert to plug everyone into a cellphone
“thousand points of light” to sign up with ONE. Evangelical luminaries
associated with this group include Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, John Stott,
Chuck Colson and others. According to one news account,

Last year a version of this
left-right pincer helped get an Africa trade bill through Congress, liberal
development types made common cause with churches and the business lobby…. So
the Bush folk are pretty much surrounded. Even though they’ve already launched
two major Africa initiatives – the Millennium Challenge Account aid effort and
the president’s initiative on HIV – it’s a pretty sure bet that in the run-up to
the G-8 summit and the U.N. gathering, the Bush administration will have to do
another something…. Announcing bold pro-Africa initiatives. [ To read the
article you must register at the site.] (http://www.ajc.com/wednesday/content/epaper/editions/wednesday/opinion_244932c38406526700d5.html)

On its official website ONE states: “ONE links
directly to the international effort to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals.” It is outside the purview of this report to delve into the UN
Development Goals, but this fact raises serious ethical questions about the
ability to conduct authentic and traditional Christian evangelism.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that wonderful and moving
stories will come out of the darkest recesses of interior Africa in the years to
come. One can still retain hope that the mission trips to Africa will be simple
and humble acts of mercy and compassion. But keep in mind that the stories may
be highly undocumented – particularly unverified “transformation” miracle
accounts like those of George Otis.

The “Kingdom transformation” of the African
continent appears to fit the radical goals of a one world government. It also
appears to be a bold maneuver to create a new market for corporate interests. It
is a flagrant attempt to export the “Kingdom theology” and worldview to this
undeveloped area of the world. Sadly, the missionaries and organizations who are
working the fertile soil of Africa are claiming to represent US –
evangelical Christianity! They claim that their version is the truth. Rick
Warren brazenly asserts that his plan is “God’s Plan.”

When the G8 countries meet they will likely
increase funding because they have been lobbied by Bono, Rick Warren and ONE.
The World Bank will soon release more money to Africa. Bush will soon announce a
global AIDS coordinator. Bill Gates has committed a large sum of money. Will a
portion of this vast ocean of money end up in the coffers of Rick Warren and the
Latter Rain dominionists? After all, the false prophets have “prophesied” an
outpouring of funds for years. Won’t it be presented as “providential,” that God
is now pouring out the monies because the church is becoming “aligned” to the
new structure and successfully “advancing His Kingdom” on earth? The reader has
every right to be cynical.

Buy the truth and sell it not… (Prov. 23:23)

Endnotes:

1.See report on cell churches available from Discernment Ministries.

2.This book is available from Discernment Ministries.

See chapter 11 of
Deceived on Purpose by Warren Smith, available from Discernment
Ministries.

First REFORMATION

TRANSITION
Phase

Second
REFORMATION

Sola ScripturaScripture
Alone

The Bible is the only
inspired and authoritative Word of God and is accessible to all, perspicuous
and self-interpreting.

Promulgating anything NEW: interpretations of the Word,
understandings, revelations, a “new move of the Spirit,” etc.

Sloppy methods of biblical exegesis; bizarre eschatologies.

The Gnostic idea that God is now bringing in “secret” or
“new” teachings to the Church because it is becoming properly “aligned” for
the 3rd Millennium (see below)

Either: 1) a complete
re-working of traditional theology to incorporate the new doctrines and
practices,
or 2) more New Age Bible versions,
or 3) additional writings added to the 66 books of the Bible canon.

Solus ChristusChrist Alone

Jesus Christ is the
exclusive mediator between God and man.

No man or structure
comes in between the believer and God.

The priesthood of all
believers.

Creating an interlocking network of cells, small groups,
house churches.

“Emergent” doctrines about ecclesiology, including a
broader definition of “church” in the context of the “spheres” of culture.

New ideas about “laity,” new structures for accountability,
new mediators.

Extra-denominational.

Extreme leadership focus, everyone trained to be a leader.

A new authority structure that is hierarchical based on
cells, city-wide church, regional, national and global structures.

Believers must submit, in the context of a restructured
church (cell model), to apostolic leadership.